| Abstrakt: |
The environmental justice literature demonstrates consistently that low‐income and minority communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. In this case study, we examined cumulative multipollutant, multidomain, and multimatrix environmental exposures in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin for the year 2015. We identified spatial hot spots in Milwaukee County both individually (using local Moran's I) and through clusters (using K‐means clustering) across a profile of environmental pollutants that span regulatory domains and matrices of exposure, as well as socioeconomic indicators. The cluster with the highest exposures within the urban area was largely characterized by low socioeconomic status and an overrepresentation of the Non‐Hispanic Black population relative to the county as a whole. In this cluster, average pollutant concentrations were equivalent to the 78th percentile in county‐level blood lead levels, 67th percentile in county‐level NO2, 79th percentile in county‐level CO, and 78th percentile in county‐level air toxics. Simultaneously, this cluster had an average equivalent to the 62nd percentile in county‐level unemployment, 70th percentile in county‐level population rate lacking a high school diploma, 73rd percentile in county‐level poverty rate, and 28th percentile in county‐level median household income. The spatial patterns of pollutant exposure and SES indicators suggested that these disparities were not random but were instead structured by socioeconomic and racial factors. Our case study, which combines environmental pollutant exposures, sociodemographic data, and clustering analysis, provides a roadmap to identify and target overburdened communities for interventions that reduce environmental exposures and consequently improve public health. Plain Language Summary: Our study focused on Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, where we examined how people in this region were exposed to different types of pollutants. We found that areas with the highest levels of pollution (e.g., lead, nitrogen dioxide) had a higher proportion of Black residents and residents that experienced social and economic challenges (e.g., unemployment, poverty, and low education). Our work adds to the growing evidence that patterns of pollution and economic challenges are not random, but rather, racially and socially structured. By understanding these patterns, we can develop policies that reduce pollution in these areas and improve the health for residents in these overburdened communities. Key Points: We examine cumulative exposures to multiple pollutants and their association with socioeconomic and racial disparities in Milwaukee CountyWe highlight census block groups that are most vulnerable to pollution and low socioeconomic status (SES), which can be prioritized for regulatory interventionsPeople of color in Milwaukee County are not just exposed to high pollution, they are often exposed within the context of low SES [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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